AFL Fixture 2018: Essendon, Collingwood benefit from return match-ups
ESSENDON shapes as a big winner and Richmond has dodged a nightmare draw as the Herald Sun reveals every club’s fixture match-ups for next season.
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PREMIER Richmond has dodged a nightmare fixture with only two double-up games next year against top-six teams — Adelaide and Geelong.
And Collingwood will be handed a dream draw in a major boost to coach Nathan Buckley’s bid to break the club’s five-year finals drought.
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With the 2018 fixture to be released tomorrow, The Herald Sun can reveal the Magpies will play only two teams from this year’s top 12 twice — Richmond and Essendon — and have struck gold with double-ups against stragglers Carlton, Brisbane Lions and Fremantle.
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The Pies’ soft run looms as the main talking point barring any last-minute tweaks before tomorrow’s AFL fixture release at league headquarters.
The details of the fixture were distributed to clubs late last week and have been seen by the Herald Sun. Clubs are not expecting any changes to the document.
This year Collingwood faced all four 2016 preliminary finalists in the first eight rounds in a nightmare start that almost cost Buckley his job.
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Richmond and Essendon this year cashed in on similarly soft draws to bounce back into September action.
Collingwood finished 13th this year — the same position as Richmond in 2016.
Essendon is also a big winner. After the Bombers’ stunning trade period they will tomorrow learn they face only one top-six team twice — the Tigers.
In Round 1 the Bombers host Adelaide (Etihad Stadium), in Round 2 they take on Fremantle (Perth Stadium) and in Round 3 they meet Jake Stringer’s former club the Western Bulldogs.
While Richmond has on paper avoided a hellish run, Sydney and GWS have copped the toughest 2018 runs. They are the only clubs drawn to play three top-six teams twice.
It means Giants coach Leon Cameron faces a huge challenge trying to guide the league’s most talented list to its first premiership.
The Giants must play the Crows, Swans and West Coast twice as well as return games against an improving St Kilda.
Melbourne recruit Jake Lever will return to Adelaide Oval to take on former captain Taylor Walker in the year’s biggest grudge match.
The Demons host the Crows in Alice Springs in Round 10 before a return match at Adelaide Oval. The Dees also play Geelong, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs and Gold Coast twice.
Gary Ablett will face his former Gold Coast teammates twice as part of a decent run towards Geelong’s 11th finals appearance in 12 years.
The Cats will get a bumper nine games at Simonds Stadium, but will drop from four to three Friday night matches.
The AFL splits clubs into three bands of six depending on where they placed in 2017.
The top six must face either two or three fellow top-six teams twice and can only play one bottom-six team twice.
The bottom six play only one top-six side twice and can receiving either two or three return games against clubs in their band.
The Bulldogs are looking at a favourable run with only one double-up game against a top-six opponent — a rebuilding West Coast.
But the club remains disappointed it was shunted from Good Friday football with the Saints set to replace the Dogs as North Melbourne’s opponent in Round 2.
The Good Friday twilight match is likely to be the Kangas’ only appearance on the Friday stage.
Trade period winners Port Adelaide won’t have it easy. They face three finalists twice as part of the league’s weighted fixture system.
Carlton and the Western Bulldogs will meet twice for the first time since 2002. The last time that happened was Terry Wallace’s final game as coach.
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